ESPN HD NBA Games???

kfarzin · 03-23-2005, 08:52 PM

Since I've got the HD service from directv I haven't seen a widescreen nba game on esph hd yet? Like a month ago I was at my friends house and their friday nite games were in 16:9 HD. Now since I've got it, it always has the grey bars on the side. What gives?? I thought all the games on espn hd were gonna be widescreen? Aren't all the nba games on TNT HD all widescreen? What games do they decide to broadcast in 16:9? Is it just certain games or teams?

**rbinck** · 03-23-2005, 09:36 PM

It is only games played in arenas that are equipped with HDTV cameras. TNT on the other hand brings in their cameras.

CatManDoo · 03-23-2005, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbinck

It is only games played in arenas that are equipped with HDTV cameras. TNT on the other hand brings in their cameras.

Rbinck: While watching TV earlier this evening, a thought came to mind but I wasn't sure exactly in which thread to post it, or should I start a new thread. Then lo and behold, I stumbled on this one which fits perfectly. Here are the particulars:

I was channel surfing down from #207 INHD2 and I got to the Detroit Pistons @ Philadelphia 76'ers game. But something struck me as odd. It was in 4:3 letterbox. Well, I remembered hearing that the game would be on tonight, and I know for certain that when the Sixers play at home they are ALWAYS in beautifully crystal clear Hi-Def. And this 4:3 was obviously just SD. Then a bell went off in my head as I noticed the familiar striped bars on the left and right side of the screen: I HAD ONLY GOTTEN DOWN TO #202 ESPN-HD !!! So I went down one more click to #200 Comcast SportsNet and voila! The game was in their customary AWESOME HIGH DEFINITION ! I flipped back and forth occasionally, and all night the exact same game was in HD on Comcast but in SD on ESPN.

btw, I live in Lancaster County, PA and I have Elizabethtown Cable. Not sure if anyone else noticed this, but it does give some credence to kfarzin. I hope my input here is relevant and helpful even though the two of you were discussing on the DirecTV board but I only have Cable. Good luck in your pursuit of an answer/solution. Let me know if there is any way I can help further!

**rbinck** · 03-24-2005, 08:15 AM

That's some interesting, although disappointing, information. That would lead me to believe it also must be the availability of a HD truck then for some games. ESPN and ABC share their trucks, so they must have not been able to get a HD truck.

Micmax · 03-24-2005, 08:20 AM

They do use trucks.

It seems completely random as to what games are in HD and what games are NOT in HD. I would guess ESPN has a certain number of HD trucks floating around the U.S., and depending on logistics, some games will be feasible and others won't.

sascol · 03-24-2005, 08:52 AM

I'm also discouraged by the number of HD games ABC shows on Sundays. We've been set up for about 6 weeks and only one game in that time span has been in HD format.

CatManDoo · 03-24-2005, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbinck

That's some interesting, although disappointing, information. That would lead me to believe it also must be the availability of a HD truck then for some games. ESPN and ABC share their trucks, so they must have not been able to get a HD truck.

If that's the case, that would make sense. I think ESPN is covering the Women's Basketball March Madness. And last weekend CBS only had enough equipment to cover 4 of the 8 Men's sites in HD, meaning just 24 of the 48 first & second round games could be shown in HD. Fortunately, there are only 4 sites for this week's Regional games and they have all 4 of those sites covered in HD. So it's possible ESPN was spread pretty thin last week and probably will be this week too since the women are at the Sweet 16 level also.

Thanks for the info on the trucks. I had thought it was the camera equipment inside that was most critical to broadcasting in HD, but I didn't think about any necessary relay equipment outside.

bases1616 · 03-24-2005, 01:03 PM

The schedule for ESPN HD games is on their website. A link named ESPN&ESPN 2 HD on the left side towards the bottom of the page. They have shown quite a few NBA basketball games Friday night in HD. Mostly the Cavs and Lebron James. The next ESPN NBA game in HD is on Friday April 1st between Cavs-Kings. Their are quite a few women basketball games before then if you are interested. There are back to back NBA HD games on Wed. April 6th as well. DTV needs to get on the ball and add ESPN 2 HD. We are missing a butt load of games in HD.

kelrhon · 03-28-2005, 07:59 PM

I don't understand why both ABC and NBC rarely use HD for their respective weekend sports....ABC with their Sunday NBA......NBC with Arena Football.....I did hear NBC was going to do NASCAR but both networks are far behind FOX and CBS with HD coverage.....

God knows that NBC needs more viewers.....maybe they should go HD with the beach volleyball.....I'd watch that!

kelrhon · 03-28-2005, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bases1616

The schedule for ESPN HD games is on their website. A link named ESPN&ESPN 2 HD on the left side towards the bottom of the page. They have shown quite a few NBA basketball games Friday night in HD. Mostly the Cavs and Lebron James. The next ESPN NBA game in HD is on Friday April 1st between Cavs-Kings. Their are quite a few women basketball games before then if you are interested. There are back to back NBA HD games on Wed. April 6th as well. DTV needs to get on the ball and add ESPN 2 HD. We are missing a butt load of games in HD.

Don't get me started about ESPN 2 and the lack of it on DirecTV....yikes!

CatManDoo · 03-28-2005, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelrhon

Don't get me started about ESPN 2 and the lack of it on DirecTV....yikes!

Go ahead, get started on ESPN2... (Ha, Ha)

No, just kidding. I shouldn't bust on anyone who would watch Babe's Beach Volleyball just because it would be in HD.

But seriously, I've also noticed the lack of NBA coverage in HD on ABC.

And the same for Arena Football on NBC. However, one of the really nice things about my Comcast Digital Cable is that they have INHD and INHD2.

And right now as I type, the Memphis Bobcats are in Chicago playing the Bulls in crystal clear Hi-Def. And I've also seen Arena Football several times on INHD, although I can't remember if it was taped or live. But I know for a fact that they cover NBA Basketball and MLB Baseball live.

As for ABC and NBC, we may as well bang our heads against the wall

if we're waiting for them to start covering more stuff in HD

hdtv4me2 · 03-29-2005, 07:23 AM

I cannot think of a bigger waste of the precious HD equipment than on women's basketball. Sorry, this may sound bad but give me a break.

sascol · 03-29-2005, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdtv4me2

I cannot think of a bigger waste of the precious HD equipment than on women's basketball. Sorry, this may sound bad but give me a break.

Gotta agree with you here. To this point, the arenas for the women's side have had quite a few empty seats. Plus, that Sunday games are booting the Yanks/Sox to ESPN2, which I do not get in HD.

CatManDoo · 03-29-2005, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdtv4me2

I cannot think of a bigger waste of the precious HD equipment than on women's basketball. Sorry, this may sound bad but give me a break.

Title IX is one reason. Football and Men's Basketball bring an insanely higher proportion of money into the coffers of collegiate athletics compared to ALL women's sports COMBINED. But the law is the law.

And before you point out that there is no law that says you have to cover the women's games in HD, let me give you the second reason: Being politically correct. If there were no HD women's games, Bristol CT would be FILLED with Martina Navratilovas and Billie Jean Kings. So ESPN has to weigh the political backlash of their decisions versus the economics of making more money with their limited equipment covering something that the majority of their veiewers (men) want to watch.

03-23-2005, 08:52 PM	#1
kfarzin High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 84	ESPN HD NBA Games??? Since I've got the HD service from directv I haven't seen a widescreen nba game on esph hd yet? Like a month ago I was at my friends house and their friday nite games were in 16:9 HD. Now since I've got it, it always has the grey bars on the side. What gives?? I thought all the games on espn hd were gonna be widescreen? Aren't all the nba games on TNT HD all widescreen? What games do they decide to broadcast in 16:9? Is it just certain games or teams?

03-24-2005, 08:15 AM	#4
rbinck Administrator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Katy, Texas Posts: 12,335	That's some interesting, although disappointing, information. That would lead me to believe it also must be the availability of a HD truck then for some games. ESPN and ABC share their trucks, so they must have not been able to get a HD truck. Last edited by rbinck; 03-24-2005 at 08:24 AM.

03-24-2005, 08:52 AM	#6
sascol High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 100	I'm also discouraged by the number of HD games ABC shows on Sundays. We've been set up for about 6 weeks and only one game in that time span has been in HD format. Last edited by sascol; 03-24-2005 at 08:56 AM.

03-24-2005, 01:03 PM	#8
bases1616 Noles Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Orlando Posts: 78	ESPN Games In HD The schedule for ESPN HD games is on their website. A link named ESPN&ESPN 2 HD on the left side towards the bottom of the page. They have shown quite a few NBA basketball games Friday night in HD. Mostly the Cavs and Lebron James. The next ESPN NBA game in HD is on Friday April 1st between Cavs-Kings. Their are quite a few women basketball games before then if you are interested. There are back to back NBA HD games on Wed. April 6th as well. DTV needs to get on the ball and add ESPN 2 HD. We are missing a butt load of games in HD.

03-29-2005, 07:23 AM	#12
hdtv4me2 Go Bruins! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,284	Women's BB in HD! Why? I cannot think of a bigger waste of the precious HD equipment than on women's basketball. Sorry, this may sound bad but give me a break.

03-23-2005, 09:36 PM	#2
rbinck Administrator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Katy, Texas Posts: 12,335	It is only games played in arenas that are equipped with HDTV cameras. TNT on the other hand brings in their cameras.

03-24-2005, 08:20 AM	#5
Micmax Moderator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Fort Worth, TX Age: 27 Posts: 413	They do use trucks. It seems completely random as to what games are in HD and what games are NOT in HD. I would guess ESPN has a certain number of HD trucks floating around the U.S., and depending on logistics, some games will be feasible and others won't.

03-28-2005, 07:59 PM	#9
kelrhon kelrhon Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Frankfort, Kentucky Age: 43 Posts: 123	I don't understand why both ABC and NBC rarely use HD for their respective weekend sports....ABC with their Sunday NBA......NBC with Arena Football.....I did hear NBC was going to do NASCAR but both networks are far behind FOX and CBS with HD coverage..... God knows that NBC needs more viewers.....maybe they should go HD with the beach volleyball.....I'd watch that!

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